football
Nationwide strike at South African World Cup building sites
Some 70,000 construction workers in South Africa have gone on strike, halting work on stadiums being built for the 2010 World Cup.
Unions are threatening to continue the strike as long as necessary if their demands for a 13% wage increase are not met. Organisers say they are confident the grounds will still be ready, unless the strike continues for months.
Strikes and riots at 2010 World Cup building site
Workers have still not resumed work at Mpumalanga's 2010 World Cup stadium after workers downed tools in a wage protest.
The workers picketing the Mbombela Stadium site outside Nelspruit include 500 dismissed last Monday, after appealing directly to President Thabo Mbeki to intervene when he visited the site. The Mbombela Stadium Joint Venture fired the workers for an unprotected strike in defiance of earlier agreements.
Student revolt: riots across Bangladesh
A clash on Monday 20 Aug on Dhaka University campus, when students at a football game were manhandled by soldiers, has escalated into a nationwide student revolt.
Despite apologies for the assault from the government, their withdrawal of troops from Dhaka campus and the promise of an official enquiry, unrest has spread and become a more general protest against the caretaker government and its long-running State of Emergency.
Sócrates - midfielder and anti-dictatorship resister
Brazil and Corinthians midfielder, doctor of medicine and philosophy, Sócrates also organised demonstrations of opposition to Brazil's military dictatorship.
Born Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira, Sócrates captained Brazil at both the 1982 and 1986 World Cups.
Javier Zanetti - Zapatista supporter
Inter Milan captain Javier Zanetti was instrumental in building links between his club and the Zapatistas.
With Zanetti leading the drive, Inter Milan funded sports, water and health projects in the Chiapas region of Mexico, where the Zapatistas operate.
The Soccer War 1969 - Kapuscinski
"In Latin America, he said, the border between soccer and politics is vague."
"... existing tensions between the two countries were inflamed by rioting during the second North American qualifying round for the 1970 FIFA World Cup. On July 14, 1969, the Salvadoran army launched an attack against Honduras. The Organization of American States negotiated a cease-fire which took effect on July 20, with the Salvadoran troops withdrawn in early August." (Wikipedia)
Alex Ferguson - manager and striker
Alex Ferguson, manager of Manchester United was involved in the Glasgow apprentices strike and a walkout at Falkirk FC.
Stephen Kelly wrote in the New Statesmen that Ferguson was born in Govan two years into the second world war.
Capitalism killing football
Richard Griffin analyses the decline of top-flight English football, its causes, and potential solutions.
Empty seats are appearing at Premiership games. So far this season attendances are down by 6%. There are a variety of reasons for this – high ticket prices, boring, predictable games, a lack of competition and a feeling that clubs don’t care about their fans.
The decline follows over a decade of growth.
Possible railway strike during 2006 world cup
German railway workers may strike over plans by the German government to split up the state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn.
"We don't want to but if necessary we will strike during the World Cup," Klaus-Dieter Hommel, the head of one of two unions representing German railway workers, was quoted as saying in the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper today.
Bees United - supporters take over
Bees United, the Brentford Supporters Trust, took over struggling Brentford Football Club in a buy-out on Friday.
Set up four years ago, it is one of 120 similar organisations attempting to bring football clubs under the control of fans. The trust is now the majority shareholder in Brentford FC and will make most decisions about the day-to-day running of the club.
